Stay for plants.



R. G. MENERAY.

STAY FOR PLANTS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 21. 1907.

926,274. l Patented June' 29, 1909.

Wittmann: Wm? F M 2 ROSCOE C. MENERAY, OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

STY FOR PLANTS.y

Specification of Letters Patent.

j Patented June $29,v 1909.

Applicationled June 27, 1907. Serial No. 881,144.

To all whom it 'may concer/n:

Be itknown that I, Roscoe C. MENERAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at I208 Stutsman street, in the city of Council Blull's, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stays for Plants, of which the. following is 'a specification.

The principal object of this invention 1s to provide convenient, economical means as an,

aid to the nurserym'an for supporting plants in an erect position. While young and tender plants are growing they should be sup-4 ported in an upright position, the means generally employed being to insert a stake in the ground near the plant, and manually secure the plant to the stake, as by use of twine, and thelabor required to accomplish this is an iteml of considerable vexpense to the plant "grower, and wood material for the stakes is expensive. As the plant grows, an adjustment must be made of the twine, which re- I.' quires much loss of time.

The .present invention describes a device for reliably supporting the plant, which may be readily moved upward any desired height,

and which dispenses with the use of wood material for the stake and makes possible the use of a wire post or prop.

The invention provides compressible sustaining arms having ample space between 4them for Va-limited movement of the plant,

sothat the plant will not be injured or its circulation be impaired, as often is the case where twine-is used to secure it. I

Another, object is the provision of a construction whereby the device maybe diminutive in size for use in connection with the post being in section. Fig. 3 is a somewhat similar view of the arts shown in Fig. 2, the engaging-hooks bemg in contact with the post, ,this being aplanv and operative view of VVVthe device. Fig. 4 is a sidel view'of theparts f shown in Fig. 3, the post being broken away.

Referring now to the drawingl'or a more partlcular descrlption, I provide the com- "body of the upright, and ,the post ma pression-member comprising the parts shown in Fig. 1, preferably using therefor a resilient metal strand, formingthe reinforcing-loop 1 intermediate and preferably `midway etween the terminals of sustaining-arms 2 and 3, said arms 2 and 3 being outwardly curved between theirv junction with the loop and their ends, and op positely-disposed with reference to each other.

Upon the terminal of arm 2 is provided the hook 4, and at or near the end of arm 3 are formed hooks 5, said hooks 5 being disposed and held adjacent each other by the connecting portion 6. As tlms described arms 2 and 3 mayy be manually compressed, hook t passing through hooks 5 inside of'portion 6.

In operation I employ a prop or holdingpost as, neferably a straight piece of wire, with its lower end inserted in the soil near the growing lant, and alter arms 2 and 3 are disposed rorizontally, they are compressed to the position shown in Fig. 2, at which time they encircle the growing plant; upon relaxing the compression upon arms 2 and 3 they assume the position shown inlFigs. 3 and 4, whereby hooks I5 and hook 4 engage the npright post and the degree of resiliency ol arms 2 and 3 is sufficient to hold the hooks firmly upon said post; thereafter, when it is desired to elevate the arms, it may quickly be accomplished by manually compressing said arms, and this will loosen the hold ol' hooks 5 and hook 4 upon the post.l

It will be appreciated by nnrserymen that much time is saved by use of the device; hy use of the resilient arms, their hooks may he secured at any desired elevation upon tpe )e smooth or rough and the hooks wil he equally operative, as is obvious, whereas it is considered that twine could not be reliably used'in connection with the post as herein dcscribed. 'lhe device may e very economically constructed, and the parts are durable.

Having fully described the several parts and operation, what I claim as new and dcsire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,

A. device of the character described comprising a spring loopand side members 3 and 4, said loop being adapted to encircle amplant,

one of said side nunnbers terminating m a hook which lies in snbstantially the 'same plane as said members, saidjhook terminating in a rearward extension and the other ol' said side members being bent upon itself to lll() Q Y v e 'l 926,274

form e hook 5, then leentv rearwrdly and up- In testimony whereof,v I' have signed my wnrdly to forni a rearward extension 6 and vname to this specification in the presence of being then bent teform a second hook 5 the two witnesses. v extension 6 and the rearward extension of .,ROSCOE C. MENERAY.

the irst named hook forming nger grips, the Witnesses:

lirst named hook being adapted to pass-be- W. W. SLABAUGLH,v tween the last named hooks. MARIE K. BOWES. 

